But he is not here, he has risen!
Easter Sunday - April 8, 2007 - Year C

Let us pray: O God, take these words and use them. Amen.

    We would not, could not, be Christians without resurrection. What we would be is a mystery, just as resurrection itself  is a mystery.

    But as the promises made in baptism a few moments ago remind us, we are also Christians because we are followers of the way of Jesus. That way took on life-changing significance with resurrection. It is the source of new heaven and new earth kinds of thinking - like Isaiah said is possible with God.

    Let me remind you of those promises: a promise to gather in worship, a promise to hear the story, a promise to respond to the call of the gospel, and a promise to be in relationship with other believers. Come, listen, respond and relate. That’s the Christian life in a nutshell, and if you’ve noticed it is also the form we take in worship - gather, listen and respond.

    And that is how we respond to the mystery of resurrection - by being Christ in the world, by our loving actions, by knowing the story and living the story. We are not alone - we live in God’s world - to echo a creed which gives meaning and hope to people throughout the Christian faith. We are going to stand together and say that creed once again on this day of resurrection - as inspiration, as remind of who and whose we are, as proclamation that we are resurrection people.

    The way I see it - our planet home is desperately in need of resurrection and in need of resurrection people - the warnings are all around us - more of them were in the newscasts this very weekend - and so when we come to the line in the creed which has us promising to live with respect in creation, I propose that we pause for a moment to let the full meaning of that promise become part of our commitment as resurrection people, as followers of the way of Jesus, as people who proclaim a new heaven and a renewed earth. It is on page 918 of Voices United - A New Creed. I will lead us after the pause - so that we can speak with one voice in this our promise of faith. Christ is risen, risen indeed, Alleluia.

    Now let us stand and together proclaim our faith....

We are not alone,
    we live in God's world.

We believe in God:
    who has created and is creating,
    who has come in Jesus,
        the Word made flesh,
        to reconcile and make new,
    who works in us and others
        by the Spirit.

We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church:
    to celebrate God's presence,
    to live with respect in Creation, (pause)
    to love and serve others,
    to seek justice and resist evil,
    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
        our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
    God is with us.

We are not alone.

Thanks be to God. Amen.